The picture shows Pakistan scoring the solitary and winning goal in the inaugural Hockey World Cup final, held in Spain in 1971. The tournament was conceived by Air Marshal Nur Khan, and if it were not for the tensions with India and unrest in Bangladesh, it would have been held in Pakistan. Everything else, from the trophy, to the organization, was Pakistani. That initial victory marked an era of complete Pakistani dominance over the sport; it won the world event a record 4 times, appeared in the final 6 times, and won several other tournaments held in that time.
From the days when it initiated the World Cup, to the day it did not even qualify for it in 2014, decline of Pakistan Hockey has been dramatic. Pakistan failed to adapt to the introduction of Astroturf, and has been unable to match the advancements made by other countries in their hockey infrastructure. Today, Pakistan watches from the sidelines a tournament it had once made it’s own.